Marine Biotoxin Monitoring and Response Manual for Non-Commercial Shellfish

ASP

Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning – caused by Domoic Acid in shellfish

DHB

District Health Board

DSP

Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning The DSP toxins group that cause DSP includes okadaic acid, DTX1, DTX2 and DTX3. Note that a hydrolysis step may be required to detect some of these.

DTX

Dinophysis toxin

Event

An Event occurs when Phytoplankton analytical results reach or exceed trigger levels for flesh testing; or shellfish analytical results reach or exceed regulatory limits for toxins

HPO

Health Protection Officer

IAIS

Industry Agreed Implementation Standard

MoH

Ministry of Health

MBTC

Marine Biotoxin Technical Committee

NSP

Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning

NZFSA

New Zealand Food Safety Authority

NZFSAVA

New Zealand Food Safety Authority Verification Agency

Phytoplankton

Micro-algal species that live in the water column

PSP

Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning

RIS

Respiratory irritation syndrome – symptoms of sore throat, eye and nose irritation and dry coughing caused by aerosolised brevetoxins produced by some Karenia (Gymnodinium) species. Asthmatics are especially vulnerable.

RSS

Regional Shellfish Specialist

Sampling Officer

Person contracted to a DHB or Sampling Provider to collect shellfish and/or phytoplankton samples for analysis

Sampling Provider

Person or organisation contracted to the NZFSA to provide services relating to sampling of shellfish and/or phytoplankton for analysis, as part of the New Zealand non-commercial marine biotoxin monitoring programme

TSP

Toxic Shellfish Poisoning: includes PSP, NSP, ASP and DSP

Turnaround Time

The time from receipt of a sample by the contracted analytical laboratory to the production of a report giving results of analysis of that sample